Christmas Presents
by Sheryl Nantus
Summary: Shopping for Christmas presents takes an interesting turn for the three agents.


All Characters copyright of TenThirteen Productions and Chris Carter. No infringement intended on any part... go ahead, take me to court...I'm using the insanity defence... heh, heh, heh... 

Jackie St. George belongs to me, though... 

Comments, complaints and just plain talk to sheryl_martin@tvo.org 

Summary: Shopping for Christmas presents takes an interesting turn for the three agents...Rating: G, Story... 

Christmas Presentsby Sheryl Martin 

Jackie St. George scowled as she scanned the crowded mall. "You're sure you want to do this?" 

Dana Scully sighed, nodding her head. "Lunch time is the only time we have free to get anything done - and if I don't get that scarf for Mom now, I'll be out here Christmas Eve." 

Beside her, Fox Mulder chuckled. "Well, you can always blame it on me..." 

"I have." She shot back, taking his arm and leading the way into the crowd. "Last year and the year before that..." St. George followed, snickering loudly. 

****** 

Two hours later, they sat down at one of the few empty tables in the small inside cafe; exhausted and empty-handed. 

The Canadian leaned back in her chair and let out a groan as she wriggled her toes deep inside the boots. "Man, Dana... there's nothing here. I can't even wrap my mind around what to get for your mother, never mind Marty. Who else do you have to buy for other than your mom?" 

"Well, there's..." Scully's eyes darted to her partner. "But that I'll have to do later." 

"I could always use a new tie." He offered with a grin. 

"Hey, wasn't there one that had those little bulbs that lit up and said Merry Christmas back there?" St. George's voice trailed off as Scully's death stare hit full force. She shrugged. "Just an idea..." 

"And what were you looking at in that store?" Mulder chuckled, seeing her innocent look. "I saw you and Scully duck inside while I was looking at the electronic display." 

"Nothing." She smiled. "Nothing for you to worry about. Least not until you get serious with some woman." 

"So it's something for Marty to worry about?" 

"Shut up, Mulder." She warned him, her smile edging onto a snarl. 

"Look." Scully broke up the discussion with a word. She gestured to a small display in the corner of the mall. 

The sign announced that they were collecting toys for the needy; a local charity trying to help out the children for Christmas. But judging by the near-empty box, not too many people were interested in helping. 

Getting to her feet, Scully made her way through the crowd to the one lone volunteer mournfully sitting at the table. 

"Business slow?" She asked, gesturing to the box. The woman sighed, nodding. 

"We're having trouble this year - the economy and all; you understand." She handed Dana a pamphlet. "If you're interested in helping out, we're just looking for unwrapped toys to hand out to the kids - they don't understand what it's like to have nothing at Christmas. We can get food, but toys..." Her voice trailed off. 

Scully nodded. "I understand. I'll be back." 

Walking back to the table, she tossed the small booklet in front of them. Crossing her arms, the petite redhead stared at the pair and waited patiently for an answer. 

St. George smiled. "I was always a sucker for a good cause." 

"I don't know how to shop for kids." Mulder protested. "I'll just end up getting him something scientific." 

"And what's wrong with that?" Scully beamed at him, giving him that look that meant that he lost automatically. 

Mulder sighed, getting to his feet. "Well, if you promise me that I'll get the leftovers from your Christmas dinner..." 

Scully laughed, leading them towards the toy store. 

********** 

The woman let out her breath slowly, glancing at the box. She would have to close up in about an hour and report back that this particular drive had been a bit of a failure - which wouldn't hurt her as much as imagining the faces of the disappointed children on Christmas Day. 

Suddenly something fell into the box. She stared at the Official UFO Alien toy figure. 

Then a Barbie. Followed by a big, thick teddy bear that stared up at her with joyful eyes. 

She looked up as the three agents emptied their bags into the box; filling it more than halfway. 

Scully smiled. "Told you I would be back." 

The volunteer stared at the toys, speechless. Waving a hand at the pile, she found her voice. 

"There must be at least a hundred dollars worth in here..." She squeaked. 

St. George nudged Mulder with her elbow. "She's not even close..." 

Scully laughed as they walked away, waving at the astonished volunteer. "Well, we might have to eat soup for a few weeks, but I feel better." Linking her arm around Mulder's, she chuckled. "And yes, my mother will understand if she has to wait a few more days for her present." 

"Sure..." Mulder groaned. "Except that I'll have to explain to my mother how a crazed redhead took me shopping for toys." 

"Tell her I used mind control." She shot back, squeezing his arm. "Works for me." 

He stopped, looking into her eyes. "Always." 

St. George broke up the connection, pointing at a clear section of the mall. "Hey, look at that." 

The lonely Santa Claus sat on his chair; surrounded by the usual pomp and circumstance of the holiday. There was no lineup; no camera crew waiting to snap pictures and then sell them to the waiting mothers and fathers. In fact, it was a very cozy little setting that no one was taking advantage of. 

The Canadian pulled on Scully's sleeve. "Come on, Dana... we've been good little kids this year - tell him what you want." 

"I don't..." But she was already being pulled towards the happy smiling man. Mulder chuckled as he stood by the small fence surrounding the scene. 

"What?" St. George confronted him as he watched his petite partner settle on Santa's lap; laughing as the older man looked astonished at his luck. 

"I'm just thinking of how I could get a Santa suit for tonight." He wagged his eyebrows at her. "Have all the women at the office sitting on my lap..." 

"Watch it, Mulder..." She warned as Scully scurried off out of the small enclosure and she walked towards the thick wooden chair. "Sexual harassment is still alive and well..." 

Scully reappeared at his side, letting out an uncharacteristic giggle. He looked at the small gaily wrapped box she held. 

"He gave you a present?" 

She nodded. "Seems he gives them out to all the good little boys and girls." St. George hopped off Santa's lap, clutching a thick box under one arm. "Your turn." 

"Nah." He shook his head. "I'm too old for that." 

"Oh, really?" Taking his hand, Scully led him up the small path and to the jolly red-suited man. "This is Mulder. He thinks he's too old to sit on your lap." 

The man chuckled, his face bright with holiday cheer. "I can see that." He gestured with one hand. "Tell you what - you lean down and whisper in my ear what you want for Christmas and I'll be happy with that." 

With an exaggerated sigh to Scully, the tall man leaned down and whispered for a few seconds; gesturing to Scully as he did so. 

The seated man laughed out loud, holding his large stomach as Mulder straightened up. "Well, I'll see what I can do - but no promises." Reaching inside a large sack by his side, he handed Mulder a small box. "Hope this'll do for now." He winked slyly at the agent. "I'll work on it." 

Enjoying Scully's obvious curiosity; Mulder led them away from the display, whistling a jaunty tune. 

"So what was that all about?" St. George said nonchalantly, holding the box under one arm. 

"What?" 

"That whispering thing." 

"Oh, that?" 

Scully scowled as she fingered the small present she held. "No mind games, Mulder..." 

"You wanted me to tell him what I wanted for Christmas. And I told him." Mulder shrugged. "And I don't have to tell you." He poked Scully's shoulder with the corner of the small box. 

"So... wanna open them now?" St. George changed the topic quickly, noting the annoyance in Scully's face. 

"It's not Christmas." The redhead announced. 

"Well, not here. But in another dimension, I'm sure it is." Jackie grinned. 

"Don't do that." She sighed. "Go ahead - maybe we can put these in with the other toys if they're appropriate." 

Grabbing an empty bench, they sat down. 

"You first, Mulder." St. George prodded. "I wanna see..." 

He ripped the wrapping off eagerly, opening the box. "It's..." His voice took on a puzzled tone. "It's a journal." He displayed the blank pages for the other two to look at. "Just like the one I have already - but that's almost full, and..." The words trailed off as he ran his hand up and down the small book; turning it over and over. 

Scully had carefully undone the wrapping paper; extracting the box inside as skilfully as any of her autopsies. Opening it, she let out a small gasp. Holding up the black leather gloves and the matching scarf, she smiled. 

"I was needing another set - thanks to Mulder here, my old gloves are about shot..." She stared at Mulder, who stared back at her. Then they both looked at St. George; gleefully ripping the paper off the box. 

Pulling the lid off; she withdrew a large, plush stuffed Dragon. Laughing, she displayed it proudly for them. "Oh, man... this is great! Marty wanted to get it for me, but I told him it was too much..." She stopped, seeing the puzzled faces beside her. "Nah... it's a coincidence. Right?" 

Mulder fingered the journal carefully. "Right." 

Scully tugged on the gloves, enjoying the feel of the fresh leather. "Okay..." 

St. George sighed. "Well, let's go back and at least thank him..." 

Getting to their feet, the three of them made their way past the crowd to the little display. 

The chair sat empty, with the large toy clock proclaiming that Santa would be back in an hour. Nearby, a woman dressed in a elf costume worked on a reindeer that just didn't want to stand up. 

"Excuse me..." Scully interrupted Rudolph's dive into the cotton snow. "But when will he be back?" She gestured at the clock. "It's in an hour?" 

The frazzled woman looked at her. "Well, we're trying. With the regular guy booking off sick yesterday, we've been putting all the kids off today until we can get somebody in from the agency." 

"So... no one's been here?" Mulder said, drawing her attention away as Blitzen knocked over Dasher into the snow. 

"No one." The woman frowned. "Why? Is there a problem?" 

"No..." St. George pulled the two agents from the display; her stuffed animal securely tucked under her arm. "Nothing wrong at all..." 

They walked towards the exit door slowly. 

"Scully, you don't think..." 

"I don't want to talk about it, Mulder." 

"But..." 

"So what exactly were you saying to him about me?" 

"You're asking me to break a promise to Santa?" 

"Mulder..." 

St. George held the door open, letting the arguing couple out into the parking lot. 

"Mulder, I didn't say..." 

"But you think..." 

"Mulder..." 

"It's Christmas, Scully... remember 'who's been bad and who's been good'." 

"Oh, I remember... and you're getting coal in your stocking..." 

************ Albert Einstein: 

"The most beautiful thing we can experience is the mysterious. It isthe source of all true art and science. He to whom this emotion is astranger, who no longer pauses to wonder and stand in rapt awe, isas good as dead." 


End file.
